Evidence Under the Rug
by SailorOfUranus
Summary: Mai-Otome ShizNat and the usual crew Some people don't have a choice when they're told to do certain things. For Nao, this is true. In so many words, this is Nao's worse day ever.


Hello! For a long time I've been wanting to write something to do with the Mai Hime universe, which to me encompasses everything Mai Hime, including Otome and all that good stuff. So, this is my very very first Mai Otome fic, which is sorta meant to be a test to see if I can do this well. It's mostly meant to be a fun little fic, maybe even crack. At any rate, please review/leave comments and all that other stuff.

This Mai Otome fic takes place after Zwie and goes by the Otome drama CDs as well, it's really heavy on one particular track dealing with Nao getting some info outta Natsuki and then goes from there. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Sunrise owns this I believe, not I.

* * *

Evidence Under the Rug

Or Rather

Nao's Worse Day Ever

By: Myself

* * *

Yukino Chrysant was a woman of many qualities and contributive attributes. She was a cool-headed politician who knew just when to be assertive and just when to be dominant, a wise tactician, and a close helpful ally (and friend) to not only the kingdom of Windbloom but the massive establishment that trained virtually indestructible weapons and passed them off as young teenager girls, Garderobe. As the current ruling president of the Aries Republic she was a well respected figure and an idol among those of her nation. With her Meister Otome, who also acted as her country's brigadier general, Haruka Armitage, she was not only a force to be feared on a political standing but also on the scale of raw might and authority (this mostly due to Haruka herself, perhaps). However, these qualities were not the only things that made Yukino who was she was. No, in fact the president of Aries held many mysteries and secrets beneath her thoughtful smile and soft spoken words.

The president of Aries was a vault of information.

Many could have called her an information broker, but Yukino didn't sell the knowledge she acquired through Aries intense and intimidating networks. The fruits of Aries advanced surveillance systems were kept for 'the good of Aries'. To have gained profit from such a structure would have been rather unprofessional, dishonest, and certainly inappropriate considering some of the subject matter and material she often found herself… viewing, purely for research of course. Yukino, merely enjoyed having a mental library of information on everything and anyone. Perhaps, when one looked at this at a different angle, this was Yukino's dirty little secret, her taboo fetish, her addiction. Yet, it was an addiction that nobody knew about or could possibly be clever enough to figure out.

Well, except for one person…

It had been that one person whom she'd 'employed' a few years back, a young woman who had committed rather questionable and un-maidenly activities after all good little Otome were tucked away in their beds while she had been in her last year of Garderobe schooling. Of course, none of these activities had really been to alarming, after all, hanging out with a group of friends who just happened to all be men couldn't possibly be a risk to losing the ability to be an Otome. In fact, her little gang was rather impressive and helpful when it came to keeping trash off the streets of Windbloom. It was the other activities involving the selling of rather unsuitable photographs of younger Garderobe students that caught Yukino's eye. While she didn't approve of her hobbies she could most certainly use the proof of them to persuade and help influence the recently appointed forth Column to do her a little favor.

Now, there were two people Yukino had heard rumors about but wasn't exactly certain of. Sure, students talked and blabbed, rumors were spread, gossip was abundant, but in the end without the proper proof of such actions, such… a relationship taking place, all these things could be false and Yukino was not a woman who harbored false information.

Natsuki Kruger and Shizuru Viola, were they an 'item' or was this merely the product of young hormonal teenage fantasies run wild? She couldn't ask Haruka to gather the information simply because of who she was. Haruka was never one for… tact, stealth, or anything that had to do with delicacy and silence and upon asking Haruka directly, since her Otome had known Shizuru and Natsuki during their younger years, she replied with a blunt straightforward:

"Heck if I know."

Yukino, knowing when to pick her battles, didn't press the subject further, and Haruka, whose mind were perhaps on other matters didn't seem to question why she'd asked the question in the first place.

So, logically, there was only one other person who she knew that could find out the information she sought without refusing (least some of her many secrets be relieved) and ironically that person had been standing right before her alongside an agitated principle of Garderobe. While it might not have been the time to ask her to do such a thing, with Garderobe being in danger and all that, she simply couldn't resist finally knowing.

She had an addiction, after all, and she knew that and perhaps even Juliet Nao Zhang knew that.

Yet, that particular scenario had happened over a year ago and had been ruined by her impulsive Otome who had stumbled upon a rather interesting scene. Who would have thought that Nao would stoop to such manipulation to gather the knowledge Yukino so desperately sought! Who would have imaged that the young, sly, mischievous Juliet would attempt to seduce the information out of Natsuki?

Bless that Nao, she knew just how to get results.

And though Nao had given her the results of the mission they were not… substantial enough. No, she needed to catch them in the act of doing something that would prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Gakuenchou of Garderobe and the Third of the Five Columns were together in the sense that a married couple were together. Simple stuttered words given out of confusion, fright, and embarrassment wouldn't do, especially if they were as vague as Natsuki had given them.

This meant, of course, that it was time to call her contacts and cash in favors and only one particular name came to the surface of her mind.

She'll get the job done, properly this time… Yukino thought.

**Or else.**

* * *

"That Chrysant…" Hissed an agitated voice in the darkness, "She's like a freaking mob boss."

Juliet Nao Zhang was situated in the far corner of a dark room. She sat with one leg crossed over the other in a relaxed position, and the foot that rested upon the ground was used to rock her chair back and forth on the rear legs. Clutched between her scowling lips, held at an angle by her teeth, was a slender small pen shaped flashlight, the light of which shined brightly upon the wrinkled paper clutched between white knuckles and twitching fingers.

"Where does she get off…?" Nao whispered, talking more or less to herself since there seemed to be no other occupant in the room with her. This woman, who demanded so much, that Yukino, she was going to get her slaughtered for nothing more than evidence to a juicy interesting tidbit of gossip which was already undeniably true. Nao had attempted to tell her the answer to the question she wanted two years ago after the whole 'bath time fun' fiasco, but that hadn't been enough. No, her complete humiliation and loss of dignity wouldn't be enough for the president of Aries; she had to probably sweat blood and tears first, get nearly slaughtered by Viola, and somehow produce physical evidence.

"Ooooh!" She was going to go insane at this rate, but if she didn't do what she'd be asked (ordered) then her precious secrets would be unleashed to the public. It wasn't that she was worried about what others would think, hell she wasn't even worried about what Natsuki might do if she knew all the things she'd tricked her younger schoolmates into doing (for purely innocent and educational reasons!) during her school days, but rather what Miss Maria might do. That woman was scary, no doubt about it. It didn't matter than she no longer went to Garderobe and had graduated along with the rest of the Pearls that were competent in her class, that old lady would find some way that was completely legal to make the rest of her Otome years a living hell and then call it a necessary punishment. She'd seen such logic in action; after all, didn't anyone ever wonder how Natsuki Kruger, of all people, became the Gakuenchou?

"Perhaps, being a Column is my punishment then…?" Nao wondered. It seemed plausible, she had been caught out late by Miss Maria a few times after all and she'd never asked for such a position. To her knowledge Natsuki hadn't asked to be the leading diplomat of an independent power either…

"Ah! Nao-oneesama!"

A voice squealed out in the darkness and then there was a loud thud followed by a groan of pain.

"W-whose there?" Nao called, her limbs entangled with one another and the chair she'd been sitting in and indecently rocking back and forth in was now on top of her. She tried to wiggle and worm her way out from underneath the seating, but for some strange reason she couldn't make heads or tails of her own body. The note that she'd been reading was still clutched in her hand, but the pen flashlight had fell from her lips during her squeal of fright and it now rolled away from her, only stopping its motion when it bumped into a foot and illuminated a grinning giggling figure.

"You look like a worm, Nao-oneesama."

"Arika! W-what are you doing here?" Nao stuttered. Finally, she managed to pull her body from the chair, no thanks to the younger girl, of course. Geez, the nerve of her, just popping up out of nowhere and scaring her like that. Now, where had her Strips Gang hat gone?

Arika continued to flash Nao a brilliant and blinding smile, one Nao feared she'd have to shield her face from viewing or risk going blind at this rate. Her former room attendant leaned over and gathered the pen light along with Nao's brown hat, which had somehow flown over to the girl when she'd fell.

"Nao-oneesama," Arika began as she displayed a slight look of mild confusion, "Who were you talking to?"

Ugh, Nao thought, feeling her face warm with a slight blush of embarrassment. How long had Arika been nearby and how long had she been there letting her talk to herself? It would be just her luck if she'd completely missed the girl upon entrance to the room. Arika was known for sleeping just about anywhere and being ironically and completely unnoticeable as she did so.

"I uh… a friend." Nao answered, standing straight as she adjusted the hem of her stripped shirt and reached out a hand impatiently for the hat and the flashlight. Yukino's note was hastily shoved in the back pocket of her pants.

"But I don't see any—"

"Arika!" Nao interrupted, "What are you doing here?"

Arika gave a thoughtful hesitation before she answered, "Hiding…"

"From who?" Nao asked, curious, her usual Cheshire Cat smile making itself at home on her face. Was the Meister Otome of Windbloom and the young Queen Mashiro at odds again?

"Miss Maria," Arika answered, sticking out her tongue as she did so, "Her lessons are so… haaaard. Why do I still need to take them? I'm a Meister Otome now! I don't need any silly lessons about etiquette and po… po… lick tick call fitness."

"Political Finesse…" Nao corrected as she wondered indifferently if Arika had been spending time with the Otome of Aries.

"Yeah, that's what I said!"

Nao no longer had to wonder, she now knew.

"What are you doing here, Oneesama?"

"Please, you can just call me Nao, there's no longer a need for all that stuff now is it?" Nao said, avoiding the question with a question as she nervously adjusted her hat and began to push pass Arika only to grunt when she felt an extra weight added to her left arm.

"B-b-but Nao-oneesama!" Arika cried out, clinging to Nao's arm as if it were her savior, "Don't just leave me here! I missed you!"

A twitch started up above Nao's left eye but she masked it by grinning just a little bit wider, "Oh? You did?"

"Hai! Your last mission lasted for so long! The others and I missed seeing your face and receiving your guidance!"

Wait a second, since when did the word 'guidance' install itself into Arika Yumemiya's vocabulary?

"So you say," Nao responded, grinning wickedly now. She could use this to her advantage! Arika was the miracle she'd been waiting for! Oh, Yukino would get her proof, but Nao wouldn't be retrieving it herself. She could get Arika to do it and take the credit for it while avoiding whatever pain and humiliation might come if she were to get caught!

"Then how about I give you one last lesson as a wise former Pearl to a growing Coral?" Nao asked as she swung her arm around so that Arika had no choice but to either let it go or be swung in front of her with it.

Arika chose to be swung, "How cool!"

"Oh, it's gonna be cool." Nao whispered.

"Now, listen up! This is a stealth mission! Sometimes our Masters might need us to collect some very important, very delicate, veeery mysterious and secretive information." Nao made sure to lean over and bump her forehead against Arika's own so that she could stare into those bright eager eyes and make sure her point got across. This mission could not be bungled, her reputation was at stake!

Arika nodded, moving both their heads with the action, "Understood!"

"Good! Now remember, this is a very important mission so no matter where I tell you to go or what I tell you to do you have to do it. Think of me as your Master. I'll be Mashiro."

"You're a little too tall to be Mashiro…" Arika said, frowning slightly as she leaned away from the Forth Column.

Nao grunted, "Then think of me as a stand in Master."

"Ah! A Naoshiro!"

"A-a what? Y-yeah…sure, Naoshiro, whatever."

Arika could barely contain herself, the excitement she was feeling now was nothing compared to the excitement she had felt running from Miss Maria two hours ago. Nao could tell that she had this girl, hook line and sinker. She could barely contain her own glee, only allowing it to escape from her in the form of a mischievous snicker.

"Let's get started," Nao said while she reached out to grab Arika's arm and drag her from the room without further hesitation. She had no time to waste, it was nearly midnight and the later it became the more her mission would be jeopardized. Arika only complained once about the speed Nao moved during their journey from their previous location (which had been the Cafeteria, now that Nao thought about it. Why had Arika chosen there out of all places to hide?) to the long elegantly decorated hallway that marked the various apartments of the high status residents of Garderobe. It was, of course, a complaint she ignored. The girl should really spend less time playing around and more time working on her speed anyway; this would be good exercise for her.

Nao passed her own quarters without a second glance as they moved. Nearing the end of the first hallway she twisted down another long corridor, slowing to a creep when she and Arika had to pass Miss Maria's lodgings only to speed up again once they had successfully crossed before her door.

There was a soft shaky sigh of relief from the girl behind her, but Nao didn't comment on it. Nao had moved passed Miss Maria's apartment at a cautious crawl for a reason, mostly do to habit, but also because she too wished to not be caught this evening. Even now, Nao had an unspoken curfew, and it was very un-Otome like to wander the halls without purpose or direction at such an hour.

"Only delinquents committing tomfoolery roam the hallways far beyond the time the sun has set," Nao mumbled, repeating words she'd heard time and time again from the older former Otome.

Well, such words were somewhat true though, weren't they?

Soon enough they arrived at their destination (Nao could tell because she heard soft voices coming from within) and with a sigh of accomplishment she turned to Arika, who was staring in awe at the intricate detail and complex designs that made up the door to the Gakuenchou's humble abode.

"Okay…" Nao whispered, scooting a little closer to the door.

"Naoshiro?" Arika, asked, keeping her own voice low.

"What," Nao said, deadpan, as she stared at Arika from the corner of her eye.

"Isn't this the—"

"Hush," Nao hissed, interrupting Arika's suddenly loud speech by slapping a hand over her mouth. Geez this girl was loud. Nervously, she stared at the door as if willing the occupants within to continue their talking. There was a pause in sound but soon enough it started up again and slowly Nao removed her hand from the uncomfortable looking girl's face, "Your questions don't matter right now, we are where we are and you will do as I say!"

Arika winced slightly from the suddenly harsh tone Nao took with her, causing Nao to actually cough and talk a little softer and friendlier despite the twitch that was starting up again beneath her left eye, "Understand?"

"Hai…" Arika said, a little hesitant.

Nao reached into the back of her pants pocket before pulling out a slender rectangular shaped device. It was rolled this way and that in the palm of her hand before Nao eventually flipped it open with a grin. "This outta do it."

"What's that?" Arika asked, eyes wide with curiosity as Nao handed it to her.

"Some new invention Hallard commissioned from that Forest girl."

"You've talked to Chie-oneesama lately?" Arika asked. She'd missed the handsome Pearl who often came by to pay Aoi, Mashiro's maid, a visit too. Maybe Nao could take her to see her sometime in Aries, especially since she wasn't allowed to go there or really _anywhere_ by herself since the whole 'bus' incident. It seemed like trouble followed her wherever she went, despite there being a major threat involved or not. Even the trip out into town yesterday had been supervised by none other than the Fifth Column, Maya, herself.

"It's not that big of a deal I can take care of myself…" Arika suddenly grumbled, talking to herself as Nao slipped off a boot in search of something or another, "And… wait what? Forest? Her last name is Woods not—"

"Ah! Damnit now where did I put it?" Nao hissed, interrupting her yet again.

With a sigh Arika asked, "How do I use this? And what is this?"

Nao took the time to tossed Arika a glance from over her shoulder as she began to take off her second boot, "Chie called it a 'picture phone', she says it's used to take photographs and to communicate with the phone system and earrings of Garderobe, so I take it you just aim it and shoot for the picture aspect, I guess. Press the little green butt—"

"ACK!" Nao suddenly cried out before slapping her hands over her mouth to smother the sound while wincing and jerking as a bright flash went off in her face, "Not now you idiot!"

"G-gomen!" Arika stuttered, closing the flip top to the odd 'picture phone' with a giggle as Nao hissed behind her hands, "Nao-onee…I mean, Naoshiro, how do we get in?"

Sliding her hands away from her face in a motion that actually pulled it slightly she groaned, thankful that the couple within the room were still talking and hadn't noticed them yet, "Don't worry about it."

Crouching low toward the ground Nao flipped her boot over before she tapped the heel of her it with her palm. There was a small wait while Nao held her breath and Arika stared hard over her shoulder but soon enough a card fell out with a chibi mutated picture of the former Grand Duke of Artai on it.

"Gotcha," Nao said in English before twisting around to flash the card at Arika, "Don't you remember, Arika? I have keys for everything, and I do mean everything."

Quickly, Nao replaced her shoe and turning toward the door the pair leaned in, Nao once again holding her breath as she slid the key card into the small slot meant for them and held hard onto the handle. A second passed by but soon enough the two lights on the door handle blinked from red to green and the door opened with a smooth silent _click_.

Yes!

The voices that had been mere mumbles before were now slightly audible to the pair, and both hesitated to cross the threshold as the voices became clear.

"See? Now, isn't it comfortable?"

"I…I dunno, this is embarrassing, I don't want to do this."

"Ara, but Natsuki already has it on…"

"I'm taking it off! It's awkward and big is it going to fit?"

"It fit for Natsuki…"

"S-shutup!"

"Uuum…" Arika whispered, looking a little curious and yet uncomfortable at the same time as she peered into the darkness and the slightly questionable conversation it held within it.

"Natsuki has to be very gentle with me, this is my first time."

"Hush, I will… I mean I guess I will."

"Nat... Su... Ki…"

Nao shuddered and frowned, why did she feel so scared all of a sudden?

"I don't know what I'm doing…"

"Don't be so nervous, here, should I guide you?"

"Don't grab me like that and right there!"

"Ara! But Natsuki's hips are so tempting when she shakes them like that."

Nao gently cleared her throat then (and rubbed her blushing cheeks) before looking down to a confused Arika, "Time to get to work."

"Huh?" Arika asked, obviously distracted by the increasingly perverse conversation that was taking place further in the room.

"Snap out of it!" She hissed, reaching down to shake the hand that held the camera phone she'd given the younger girl, "Now listen up. Take this in there and then get evidence."

"Evidence?" Arika asked, "Of what?"

"You know," Nao sighed, "This and that."

"_This _and _that_!?" Arika asked, exasperated as she waved her hand into the darkness to indicate the unseen occupants further in the apartment.

And maybe some of everything else if it's Shizuru, Nao thought, but she kept that particular comment to herself, "Remember, a Master may ask their Otome to get anything including evidence to relationships of this sort."

"B-but," Surely Mashiro wouldn't have asked her to do such a thing!

"Oh, then I guess you give up then?" Nao said, inwardly grinning when she saw a more determined expression cross over the younger Otome's face.

"You could if you want, I guess this just means you fail my lesson, sigh, I had great hopes for you Arika, how disappointing!"

"I'll do it!"

Without another word Arika stalked into the apartment, her body disappearing as the darkness of the room swallowed her up. With a chuckle Nao turned from the door, and only once she was a good four or five feet from the threshold did she break out into a little bit of a victory jig.

Yes! Arika would sneak into the room, use the camera phone to catch whatever devious actions Shizuru had convinced Natsuki to commit, and then Nao could finally deliver Chrysant some evidence she could not deny! And after that, Nao could sell the pictures to the local Otome fanservice store!

A sudden scream of horror shattered her thoughts of happy endings and she broke out into a cold sweat despite how cool it was in the hall.

"Please don't let it be her, please don't let it be her," Nao chanted, hands folded in a symbol of prayer as she heard loud incoherent shouts of disbelief, cheerful giggling, and a lot of movement. Soon there was a pounding of feet and there was a panting behind her.

"Nao-oneesama!" Arika cried out, tugging hard on the shirt Nao was wearing. Slowly, Nao turned around. If Arika had the evidence, then she could still run and leave the girl behind. Yeah, yeah, the good of the one before the good of the others or something like that!

"Did you get the evidence?" Nao asked, frantic as she heard Kruger cursing and the sound of clothing being thrown on.

"I didn't see this or that," Arika said calmly, frowning as she dug into the pockets of her clothing, "They were just wrestling!"

"W-wrestling…?"

Yet before Nao had a chance to further question Arika she heard the sounds of an angry principle stumbling over and into furniture.

"WHO PUT THIS WALL HERE?!"

Damn!

"Natsuki, please wait so that I can grab the emergency naginata from its case."

Double damn!

"D-did you get anything!?" Nao asked; panic forcing her heart to beat five times faster and her eyes to grow wide.

"Well, I did grab some stuff before I saw they were wrestling, but what does it matter I failed the mission! Nao-oneesama, they weren't—"

"Just give it to me!" Wait... "What do you mean picked up some stuff? You were suppose to take pic—"

Nao never finished her sentence however as two objects were suddenly shoved into her outstretched arms.

"You brought me…panties and….W-WHAT WHAT WHAT?"

"It's a weapon the principle was wearing; maybe it enhances the wrestling to help her win?" Arika asked, helpfully.

Nao could only stare at the phallic shaped object with a strap on it that had been flung into her possession while more crashes and cursing came from within.

"Arika, what in the world did you bring this for!!"

"I thought you might want to see it, isn't it cool?"

Again, Nao opened her mouth but was not given the chance to answer. Suddenly, stumbling past the threshold was a robe wearing red faced Natsuki and a calm Shizuru, though her crimson eyes were filled with passive aggression and in her tight grasp was a long naginata that looked just as imposing as the Column's Otome robe weapon.

"You!" Natsuki seethed.

"Ah, Juliet Zhang," Shizuru said coolly.

"Please don't call me that, it's Nao." Nao responded, despite the fact that she was trembling with her arms holding rather inappropriate objects in front of two very angry (though Shizuru didn't show it) and very powerful people.

"You broke into my apartment and stole t-those things! You, pervert! I knew something was wrong with you!"

"W-what!" Nao cried out, stumbling a few steps backwards as Natsuki and Shizuru advanced forwards, "N-no I…."

Frantically Nao looked around for Arika, but she was… gone.

What the hell!

"Please don't try to deny it, Juilet-san." Shizuru said pleasantly, smiling at the younger Column before bringing her gaze down to the bundle in her arms, "You are holding the evidence."

The naginata was swung around swiftly, the blade leveled now with Nao's nose.

"You must be punished, Juliet Nao Zhang…"

Nao needed no further prompting; she swiftly turned and ran, squealing as she did so.

Nao didn't need to glance over her shoulder to know the older women were following her either, she could hear Kruger's insane bestial snarls and Viola's light and graceful footsteps. Once or twice she swore she could feel Natsuki erratic breath on the back of her neck, but it was just her imagination kicked into overdrive by an overwhelming sensation of dread and intense fear.

I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, Nao chanted in her head, pushing her body harder and harder as she began to create a little bit of distance between herself and the more experienced Otome. Damn that stupid Arika, giving her this stuff and then ditching her to face the wrath of the Garderobe head and her assistant. Sometimes she swore that no matter how dumb that girl acted she was really a genius. Speaking of which, however…

"Why do I still have this stuff!"

Nao grabbed the panties, she could maybe sell these, but…but this inappropriate thing had to go! She released it, but instead of it falling to the ground to be left behind forever and ever it snagged on the way down, clipping itself to the belt of her pants.

Just my luck! Nao groaned, holding onto the panties as she twisted around a corner and began to run down another hall. Desperately, while running, she tried to unhook the nasty thing from her body, but instead she ended up stumbling, over what felt like…nothing, and fell flat on her face with an 'oomph' causing the panties to go flying from her grasp.

"Just my luck to trip over air…" Nao sneered, glancing up as she lifted her hand to rub her stinging face and find out where exactly those undergarments had landed….

* * *

Haruka Armitage was a woman who prided herself on her honor, her guts, and her ability to do whatever it was her Master asked of her whenever and however. Initially, Haruka believed there was no need for an army when Aries had her, but over the course of the years she had served Yukino during her term she'd realized that every country needed grunts, gopher men to do the work that was far beneath her standing or not important enough for her attention…so then, why was she here, standing in the middle of Garderobe's left wing hallway as an acting mailman?

Of course, at first Haruka hadn't been angry, no at first she had been confused and sleepy. Yukino had decided to wake her, rudely in fact, by ripping the covers off their bedding (for Haruka and Yukino shared and bed. Haruka wouldn't let Yukino out of her site for a minute, otherwise, what sort of guardian would she be?) and flipping Haruka onto the floor as a result. Then, instantly afterwards, with a short and sly 'gomen' from her Master she had been given her mission and told to complete it immediately.

'Go to Garderobe,' She'd said, 'I need you to pick up something for me there, Haruka-chan. Nao-san will have it, once you get it come straight back to me!'

Then helping her dress herself, because frankly she'd fallen back asleep with one arm halfway in her dress and then had attempted to leave the room without any boots on and with her clothes hanging off her inappropriately, she shoved her out the door.

It wasn't until she was on her way to Garderobe in her tank, yawning and mumbling that she began to get agitated. Why hadn't Yukino just sent a service man to get the information? It couldn't have been that important, didn't that woman know that she needed her sleep if she wanted her to protect her correctly? And how the hell was she going to protect her if she weren't there to do the protecting! That silly Yukino, sometimes she didn't know what she was doing.

So, determined to give Yukino a stern talking to whenever she was done getting whatever Nao was suppose to give her she entered. Though, that had been over fifteen minutes ago, and Haruka was not one to have patience… at all.

"Where the hell is she?" Haruka mumbled, turning her head this way and that before she placed a hand above her eyes and stared hard into the distance. Yukino had told her to come to this section of the building and that Nao would be here to drop off the goodies, but she didn't see any Nao, in fact she hadn't since she'd come in.

"She could at least be on time, she's a Column now, has she learned nothing?"

Haruka fell into old habits and tapping her foot impatiently she began to grumble and mumble about nothing in particular, that was, until she spotted a certain red head running down the hallway.

"Yeah she better run with how long she's kept me waiting."

Suddenly Nao fell and something flew out of her hands. Haruka only blinked as she saw the girl lift up her head and turn red before she exploded in laughter, which only caused Haruka to frown.

"Why are you laughing? You're late! That isn't funny! Do you know how long I've been standing here?" Haruka growled, stomping a foot in agitation.

Nao couldn't breathe, she only pointed toward Haruka's head causing the older woman to glance up and gag. Upon her head was that pair of fluffy lacy panties that had flown out of her hand when she'd fell.

Slowly, Haruka lifted her hand and snatching the underwear from her head and held them before her and stared with her usual dense look of confusion. "Panties…?"

Swallowing the rest of her laugher Nao stood up, brushing herself off as she began to approach Haruka, forgetting all about the swinging appendage that hung before her body like some sort of trouser snake. Haruka being a little busy with the panties didn't notice it.

"What is this?" Haruka asked, shaking the underwear before Nao who glanced nervously over her shoulder.

Fun time was over, sure she'd had a good laugh, but now she had to get out of here and run somewhere very fast very far. What was Haruka doing here anyway? It had to have something to do with Yukino and just thinking about that woman made her blood boil, it was her fault she was in this mess, she better have sent her Otome to help her!

"No time to explain, I gotta go." Nao hissed, moving to shove past the other woman, but Haruka effortlessly grabbed onto her, tugging her back by her forearm while Nao squirmed and cried out in frustration.

"You will make time." Haruka said bluntly, looking tired, "Besides, you're supposed to give me something, some sorta info or whatever."

"I will later but right now, we gotta…" Nao swallowed the rest of her sentence as her eyes bulged out of her head, causing Haruka to glance in the direction Nao was staring.

Natsuki Kruger and Shizuru Viola, Haruka mentally wrinkled her nose, what were they doing out so late and looking so unpresentable and angry and why was Shizuru totting that stick around?

"Ara, I would have never guessed that Haruka-san was working with Juliet-san."

"Huh?" Came Haruka's intelligent reply.

"Don't act dumb," Natsuki growled, barely containing her anger and embarrassment, she was still red, "Those are my underwear you have in your hand. What are you doing with them?"

Haruka slowly looked to the object in her grasp, "Panties…."

That's the second time she's said that, Nao thought, feeling increasingly unease as Shizuru narrowed her eyes.

"I know you wanted my Natsuki during our younger years, Haruka-san, but never would I have thought you to stoop so low. You too, must be punished."

Suddenly Haruka snapped her gaze from the lacy thing to Shizuru, blushing madly as she began to wildly wave her hands about, "W-wait a second now, I have nothing to do with this delinquent!"

"Hey!"

"And furthermore these fell from the sky! I was wearing them on my head!"

Natsuki twitched, "You were wearing…my panties on your head?"

"Pearly by accident!"

"Purely, Haruka-san," Shizuru corrected, cheerfully.

"That's what I said!"

"Enough games!" Natsuki yelled, suddenly very serious. She lifted her hand and pointed one lone finger toward Haruka and Nao and with a narrowing of her eyes she screamed.

"MATERIALIZE!"

"Is she serious!" Haruka and Nao cried out in union.

Shizuru, who had every intention of following her lover into the Otome transformation gave a slight eager bob of her head, "I'm afraid she is…." And then, in a much softer tone, she too said:

"Materialize."

Haruka and Nao didn't wait around to see the results, in fact, Haruka's 'save the weak!' instincts kicked in and effortlessly she tossed Nao over her shoulder and began to run.

Behind them they could hear the sounds of nanomachines being activated and put to good use.

"Transform!" Haruka yelled, panting as she twisted around a corner, which caused the two flying Otome behind her to speed past before backtrack and zooming down the hallway she'd taken.

"What?! Are you crazy?" Nao said, staring at the approaching Otome right before Shizuru slung out her weapon, the metal slates extending as the blade swung right over their heads and took out a dangling light.

"You heard what I said, materialize or we'll die!" Haruka herself couldn't do it; of course, Yukino wasn't around to give her the proper permission.

"What do you think this is? Some sort of magical girl shoujo-ai anime? They're not just gonna stand there and wait while I transform! This is real life!"

"Damn you logic…." Haruka snarled out, twisting around another corner as the pair of hunters sped past them but did not pursue. Panting, Haruka dumped Nao from her shoulder, causing the other girl to drop with a thud and a startled cry.

"You could have been a little more gentle, geez," Nao croaked, her body suddenly lifted from the ground as Haruka grabbed her by the collar of her stripped shirt.

"Listen you," Haruka hissed, "What the hell are you up to? Now you've drug me into it. If I weren't running from two psychopathic Otome I'd penis you myself."

"P-pe…wha…Oh!" Nao stuttered, blushing as she scratched her cheek nervously, "You mean… punished…"

Slowly Haruka blinked before she let the younger girl go, "Right….that's what I said."

"No… no it wasn't." Nao replied, looking a little pale.

"Anyway," Haruka began only to pause and stare at the object attached to Nao's pants, "What is that?"

Nao glanced down before she grabbed the offensive 'wrestling weapon' and gave a mighty tug, ripping the fabric that had held it attached to her. Finally, Nao thought, before she gave a wicked grin and wiggled the offensive false organ at Haruka.

"Haruka-chaaaaaan," Nao sung, "Have you ever seen one of these before?"

Haruka felt herself twitch; she had a feel that she was committing some sort of sin staring at that thing, "No."

"Are you sure? You and the President of Aries have never gotten intimate before? She seems like the sorta person who would whip one of these bad boys out."

"In-time-mate?" Haruka repeated, gnawing on her bottom lip.

"Intimate," Nao corrected.

"N-no! Of course not, a-and even if we were that is none of your business nor is this the time to be talking of such immortal actions, now remove that from my presents!"

"Immoral and pre_sence_," Nao said, running on automatic as she tucked the phallic shaped object into the back of her pants waistband, "And why do I feel like I don't believe you…"

Of course, much like the last few times, Nao didn't have the chance to press the subject further, for suddenly the Ice Silver Crystal and the Bewitching Smile Amethyst were in the hallway.

"I found them, Natsuki!"

"Good!"

"I believe it is time for running," Nao suggested and with a nod of confirmation from Haruka, Nao began to move her legs.

"We can't outrun them forever!" Haruka gasped, dodging the wild swing of Shizuru's weapon, "She's really trying to take my head off! This isn't fair, I can't materialize!"

"Do you still have those panties?"

As much as Haruka wanted to answer Nao negatively, she mumbled, "Yes."

"Good, take those to Yukino and tell her 'here's your proof'."

"Wait what?"

"Don't ask questions, soldier!" Nao yelled, scrambling to turn another corner as Shizuru took out the wall in front of them, "Just do as I say!"

Nao lunged ahead of Haruka, trying to put distance between herself and the other woman so that all the responsibility would be placed on her. If only she could lose the louder Otome than she could find someplace quiet, transform, and then fly away for a few months until things cooled down—

"AAAH!"

Nao shoved hard on her internal brakes, skidding to a halt before she twisted around and saw a rather comical site.

There hung Haruka, trapped, in a net, upside down and crushed looking.

"Damnit!" Haruka snarled, trying to gnaw her way out of the trap as Nao smacked her forehead in apprehension.

"No no no! That woman, that woman, she tortures me and controls my fate even now!" Nao yelled, falling to her knees and shaking her fists at the ceiling.

"Stop being dramatic and help me!"

"But don't you see?" Nao said, looking at Haruka with pity cleverly hiding her amusement, "You've fallen into one of Miss Maria's Pearl traps."

"One of her…..no, NO!" Haruka shook the net, trying to get it to dislodge itself from the ceiling with her strength and weight, but it didn't budge.

"It's no use, don't worry Haruka-chan, I'll tell Yukino you died bravely and that you love her!"

"Oh, would you? Oh wait a second here and help me! You can cut it or something, right? With those wires you have?"

"You say it like it's so simple," Nao mumbled, dusting off the front of her pants before she placed her hands on her hips, "And it'll do no good! It's designed to catch wandering Pearls and the rope is made from reinforced… something or another. I wasn't really paying attention when Yohko-sensei explained it…"

"T-then go get her! Go get Yohko."

"No way, then I'd have to explain why I'm getting her and by the time I come back those two will have gotten you anyway, speaking of them, they take this long to get here _now?_"

"So you're going to leave me here to be taken away and… and…" Haruka couldn't even finish her sentence; she remembered the last time she'd been 'punished' by her former classmate. Though, she'd been younger then the memory was still just as powerful.

"Don't let that tea-drinking-woman do whatever she pleases!" Haruka pleaded.

"It'll be okay, Haruka! I'll always remember you as the proud and brave Brigadier General of Aries! I salute you!" Nao sniffled, wiping a tear away from her eye. "I'll avenge you! I swear it!"

In a sudden furious explosion of serious and perhaps extremely forbidden Aries swears Haruka threw the panties that had started this whole mess right at Nao's face, causing the younger Otome to cough and sputter as she grabbed onto them.

"You still have a mission to complete!" Haruka growled, "Give those to Yukino!"

"Are you crazy? I'm trying to live past tonight, screw the mission; she can do whatever she wants with my secrets!"

"Your secrets? Whatever, just run now, by some grace granted by the Otome Star they haven't come ye—"

"Ara! Look, we caught a Haruka in a net!"

"Speak of the devil…" Haruka mumbled.

Immediately Nao gave Haruka's face one last look before nodding, "Okay, I won't let you down."

Suddenly, feeling as if the scenario had become rather serious Haruka returned the nod, "You better not."

"Wait, why does it feel like rose petals should be gently blowing in behind us?" Nao asked.

"Just RUN!"

Without another word Nao took off, causing Natsuki to snarl in agitation.

"Natsuki," Shizuru said, staring at a nervous Haruka despite her words being for her lover, "Go after Nao, I will catch up after I take care of this little one here."

"We're the same damn age!" Haruka scowled, twiddling her thumbs in an act of normalcy despite the fear that pumped through her blood.

Natsuki gave a nod before delivering Haruka a glare and speeding off down the hallway.

Waiting for a moment until she was certain Natsuki was out of earshot the grinning red eyed woman turned her full undivided attention upon her former roommate. Ah, those Trias days…

"Now, Haruka-san, shall we begin?"

"Uh…..UH!"

The scream of horror the Brigadier General released could be heard all over Windbloom that night.

* * *

To be continued…. Maybe.


End file.
